5 Easy Ways to Be Healthy Even At Work

Here is a guest post written by Beth Auguste MS RDN CSOWM WFS, Owner of Be Well with Beth, Founder of The Refresh. Back-to-back meetings with colleagues in various time zones mean that I'm sometimes skipping meals or sitting at my desk the entire day. I was very interested to see Beth's tips for how we can be healthy while also busy at work.

Tips for wellness at work from Be Well With Beth, woman meditating — Take just a minute at work for your wellness. Photo by Katerina Jerabkova

So, you want to feel good.. but right now you are overwhelmed with work stress, life stress, all the stress. The survival mode fatigue is getting to you.

You might say to yourself, I know something needs to change, but I’ll do it later. I’ll wait to work on my wellness until “things slow down.”

I hate to break it to you, but life will always get in the way of a perfect routine. I wish it weren't true. But I've seen it. A lot. I’ve spent the last 10+ years as a dietitian, nutritionist and fitness trainer helping people like you improve their energy, reduce their risk for a disease, improve a diagnosis, and just all around feel better. Among the many many people I’ve worked with, I’ve found that most of us have this one thing in common. We can know what to do but sometimes we have trouble actually doing it.

Sometimes the change can be as simple as your mindset. Could you be suffering from an all-or-nothing mentality? If you have a 5-minute break, do you get up and stretch your body? And count it as part of your exercise routine? Do you listen to your stomach when it growls and eat a snack, even if you have a meal coming soonish?

I am here, writing this message for you, to help you stop putting yourself last and get started building your healthy autopilot - your health routine that FITS (even when it feels like you have no bandwidth).

I’ve put together five of my best and most simple solutions that help people create a doable food & fitness routine so you can feel your best (and have the energy to keep up with all.the.things that your work, house, family and LIFE need from you!).

Here are some of my favorite simple solutions that help my clients recharge and maintain their energy when they have little bandwidth:

1. Got a minute?

Literally, do you have one minute? Set a timer and just move. Walk laps, do arm circles, seated knee-ups or kicks (under your desk so nobody sees!). It doesn’t matter what you do, it just matters that you do it for one full minute. You’ll be shocked at how long a minute can be!

2. Don’t wait until it’s “time” to eat

If your stomach tells you it’s hungry for lunch, even if it is 10am, eat. Your body knows what it needs and those growling feelings are sending you a big signal.

Tips for wellness at work from Be Well With Beth, laptop with snacks and water — Eat when your body tells you it's hungry. Photo by Gardie Design & Social Media Marketing

3. Drink Up

Maybe you know that you need to hydrate more but for some reason it isn’t happening. Challenge yourself to drink one extra cup or bottle during your workday.

4. Take a moment

You know that moment when your computer or phone freezes? You probably impatiently hit refresh or close the app and re-open it until it works. Instead of this useless activity, why don’t you take a moment to close your eyes and breathe?

5. Balance it

As much as the diet industry wants you to believe there are magical ways to “trick” your body. The best way to keep your body from feeling overly hungry and depleted is to balance all of your meals and snacks.

You’ve got two options here.
- Option A: Make a point of balancing your plate with 50% from fruit or vegetable, 25% from protein and 25% from starch.
- Option B: Make sure that you have a combination of high fiber carb, healthy fats, and protein at every meal and snack. This will help you stay the fullest for the longest, which means you’ll have the best energy.

Bonus Tip

If you work in a lab and can't eat when your body wants you to eat. Think of your pre-work meal as a pre-hike meal. Load up on calorie-dense, high protein and high-fat foods that can carry you through the day. Drink fluids with electrolytes so that your body processes the liquid more slowly.

Thank you, Beth, for these very doable tips to stay healthy while at work!

About Beth:

Beth Auguste MS RDN CSOWM WFS is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified women’s fitness specialist and board-certified specialist in obesity and weight management. She's also a mom who juggles maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle while chasing two adorable but exhausting kids and running a business. Beth understands that nutrition and healthcare advice can’t happen in a vacuum. Life will always get in the way of the perfect routine. Her recommendations meet you where you are and integrate creative, effective solutions that fit into even the busiest schedule. She is more than your nutritionist-- she's an advocate and supporter for your wellness.

Beth holds a masters in nutrition from Boston University, a bachelors in psychology from Emory University. She owns Be Well with Beth, a fitness and nutrition company that works with parents of young children to navigate their wellness. Services include private nutrition counseling, virtual personal training and an online group program called The Refresh.

Join a free 5 day Refresh: https://www.bewellwithbethphl.com/freeworkshops

The Refresh online group program: https://www.bewellwithbethphl.com/TheRefresh